Speaking and Teaching

photo credit POLIN museum

photo credit Sarah Knobel

I regularly speak to audiences and communities about my research and my work in food, cultural preservation and fermentation. I also use food as a medium to tell stories, often weaving in history and folk wisdom. I also present dynamic and informative cooking demos and hands-onworkshops, including bread-baking, fermentation, preparing holiday feasts, etc. The first workshop I ever gave was how to make sour pickles, and I still teach crowds across the world in my signature style.

I teach more formally. Since 2015, I've been on the summer faculty for Genesis, a program at Brandeis University where I teach a course I co-developed on culinary arts and anthropology. In fall 2019, I'm debuting a course on immigrant foodways in the Judaic Studies Department at CCNY in fall 2019.

And in October 2019, I'll be the chef and scholar-in-residence for "History, Heritage, and Herring," a culinary tour in Lithuania and Poland. Info here.

"As a . . . member for some 30 years, I can honestly state that this was the most informative and enjoyable food lecture that I've attended." - Synagogue Member on NYC's Upper E. Side ​

Selected Recent Engagements:

New York City Wine and Food FestivalMuseum of Food and DrinkCulinary Historians of New YorkYale University Pig ConferenceThe Streicker Center at Temple EmmanuelThomas Dodd Center, UCONNCamp Bacon at Zingerman'sPOLIN MuseumColumbia UniversityJCC ManhattanHouston Jewish Book Festival JCC Krakow